Papercraft the hit summer pastime, marketing tool

Written by: Rebecca Milner on August 22, 2008 at 12:05 am | In MARKETING IDEAS | 3 Comments

We first mentioned free, printable papercraft designs when we introduced Motomachi’s website, you know the guy who takes a picture of a vending machine everyday? Due to the popularity of his site, he began offering a downloadable paper model of his well-documented machine.

Now with the hot summer months in full tilt (meaning bored children and adults alike trapped in air conditioned boxes watching Olympic softball), we’re seeing a number of papercraft sites on the net.

Brands like Nissan and Yamaha hope to score young fans with free papercraft versions of their vehicles, while Cannon (remember they make printers too) offers popular summer themes, like beetles.

Blogs are also a platform for hobbyists to show off their original work; for example, check out this impressive tribute to Rilakkuma’s 5th anniversary.

One of the most talked about on the internet papercraft downloads however, comes from JR West Japan and is hardly new.

What began 10 years ago as one model, the Nozomi Shinkansen, has since grown to over 40, including not just a variety of trains but also well-loved stations and backgrounds for creating whole dioramas.

It may sound like a niche hobby, however, the site recorded over 1,000 downloads one day in July this summer. What makes the JR items standout, and helps explain why they are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, is the quality and the elaborate attention to detail that makes these papercrafts convincing, and charming, models of the original.

Of course, Japan has a long history of papercraft, with the art of origami, but this new free download trend is a clever blend of contemporary technology and branding.

Tags: Cannon, DIY, JR, kids, Nissan, Summer, Web, Yamaha
Category: MARKETING IDEAS
Other categories: DIGITAL LIFE, LIFESTYLE / FASHION, PRODUCT INNOVATIONS

Unagi eel-themed drinks for summer

Written by: Rebecca Milner on July 27, 2008 at 11:51 pm | In LIFESTYLE / FASHION, MARKETING IDEAS | 1 Comment

It’s not enough for beer to be the official drink of the oppressively hot Japanese summer, one beer company is hoping to tie-in with the traditional food of summer, unagi (eel). Miyashita Sake Brewery is launching a “Suitable for Unagi” black beer that matches the color and richness of the grilled eel coated in sticky and slightly sweet sauce. Sold online in gift packs (¥2,425 for six), the “Suitable for Unagi” beer is intended as a summer gift for friends and co-workers.

Unagi is traditionally eaten during the summer to boost stamina against the appetite-destroying heat, particularly on the midsummer days of the Ox (July 24th and August 5th this year). While the origin of this custom is generally unknown and up for dispute, Miyashita is promoting a theory that explains that because the day of the Ox is associated with calamity, people traditionally turned to the Black Tortoise (the guardian deity of the north, also the direction associated with the Ox) for protection from disaster. The Black Tortoise God is black, thus people ate black food like unagi and now, says the brewery, black beer.

Posters advertising unagi to be hung in restaurants this summer, from unagi.org.

Whatever the reason (and we apologize for any of the questionably accurate explanations above, translated from the Miyashita promotional material), suffice to say the tradition has been a boon for eel merchants since the Edo period.

Meanwhile, a new beverage from Japan Tobacco Beverage says skip the eel altogether and instead go for a bottle of “Unagi Nobori,” a carbonated beverage combining vitamins and “eel extract” with a “refreshing flavor” to beat the summer swelter.

The packaging evokes a traditional unagi vendor, though a ¥147 a bottle the price is significantly less than the real thing.

Tags: beer, beverages, FMCG, JT, Summer, Unagi
Category: LIFESTYLE / FASHION, MARKETING IDEAS
Other categories: DIGITAL LIFE, PRODUCT INNOVATIONS